Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2025 Subaru Forester. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Incorrect Weight Rating on Label/FMVSS 110
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."
- Consequence
- An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.
Child Seat Anchor Bolt Not Tightened Properly
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles. The child seat anchor bolts may have been improperly tightened, allowing the bolts to come loose.
- Consequence
- A loose child seat anchor bolt increases the risk of injury to a child during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the child seat anchor bolts and, if necessary, tighten the bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-25.
Incorrectly Manufactured Wheels
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles equipped with 18" aluminum alloy wheels. The wheels may have been manufactured with an incorrectly specified lug seat surface, which can result in the wheel being improperly attached and cause a loss of vehicle stability.
- Consequence
- A loss of vehicle stability increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the wheels, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRB-25.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (95)
95 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The unknown or other is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 95 |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 19 | 20% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 13 | 13.7% |
| Visibility/wiper | 13 | 13.7% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 11 | 11.6% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 8.4% |
| Exterior lighting | 8 | 8.4% |
| Visibility | 7 | 7.4% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 6.3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 5.3% |
| Air bags | 4 | 4.2% |
How 2025 compares with other Forester years
Best and worst Forester years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 587 | 1 |
| 2018 | 498 | 3 |
| 2019 | 833 | 3 |
| 2020 | 601 | 0 |
| 2021 | 208 | 0 |
| 2022 | 98 | 1 |
| 2023 | 74 | 1 |
| 2024 | 29 | 2 |
| 2025 | 95 | 3 |
| 2026 | 24 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2025 Subaru Forester suv awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 35 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $1,900
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 255 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 35 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S6 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 35 / 34 / 35 | $1,900 | 255 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S8 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 26 / 33 / 29 | $2,300 | 310 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S8 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 25 / 32 / 28 | $2,400 | 317 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S8 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 25 / 28 / 26 | $2,600 | 338 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2025 Forester for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2025 Subaru Forester FAQ
How many recalls does the 2025 Subaru Forester have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 26V436000 (equipment), 25V419000 (seat), 25V033000 (wheel). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2025 Subaru Forester problems?
Owners filed 95 complaints with NHTSA. Unknown or other (19), Fuel/propulsion system (13), Visibility/wiper (13) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2025 Subaru Forester get?
EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S6 CVT version at 35 city, 34 highway and 35 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2025 Subaru Forester get?
NHTSA rated the 2025 Subaru Forester suv awd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (17.4% rollover risk).
How does the 2025 Forester compare with other years?
Among the 2017–2021 Subaru Forester model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (208) and the 2019 the most (833). The 2025 drew 95. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.